The subject of the present invention is the preparation of hydrogen sulfide from elemental sulfur and hydrogen, by a continuous process using a catalyst in a moving bed (or circulating bed).
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a chemical intermediate used in many industrial processes, for example for the preparation of organosulfur compounds, or in sulfurizing treatment such as (and non-limitingly) for sulfurizing catalysts that are used in hydrotreating reactions in the refining and petrochemical fields.
Hydrogen sulfide may be prepared in a manner known per se, by reacting elemental sulfur in liquid or gaseous form, and hydrogen, optionally in the presence of a catalyst based on hydrogenating metals. Industrial processes are often carried out at high temperatures, especially as the reaction is known to be highly exothermic.
In order to obtain a satisfactory yield of hydrogen sulfide, it is often necessary to perform the reaction at high pressure and/or to use a stoichiometric excess of sulfur.
The applicant has now developed an innovative process for producing hydrogen sulfide from hydrogen and sulfur, which makes it possible to resolve certain drawbacks of the prior art processes.